Wire-twisting tool



Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,085

0. G. HUNTER WIRE TWISTING TOOL Filed Dec. 14, 1925 l ,i i

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 24,

unrrnn STATES CHARLES G. HUNTER, OF LAWRENCE, INDIANA.

WIRE-TWISTING TOOL.

Application filed December This invention relates to a tool that is designed for nvisting wires, as when splicing two wires together, or when wrapping a portion of a wire on the main portion there a of to form a loop, especially when building or repairing wi 'e fencing, the invention having 1 reference more particularly to a portable h and-tool that is especially adapted to be used in a small space.

An object is to provide an improved wiretwisting tool thatshall be of such construction as toperinit manufacture thereof at small cost, and yet be strong and not liable to become impaired because of rough usage or carelessness of inexperienced workmen.

Another object is to provide an improved wire-twisting tool which shallbe of such construction as to permit it to be readily carried about and which may be readily and efficiently operated in narrow spaces between fence wires or elsewhere, and which shall have all its parts connected together to guard against loss or misplac-ement of parts, and shall durable and economical in use.

u With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in a wire-twisting tool having novel and improved parts and structural features, and in the combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter particularly described and further set forth in the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawings,-1ligure 1 is a fragmentary side view ofa wire fence on a small scale, and the improved tool in con nection therewith as illustrative of one of the practical uses of the tool; Fig. 2 is a front view of the improved tool shown as when operating to wrap one portion around another portion of a wire; Fig. 3 is a side view of thetool in which parts thereof are shown in different positions relatively to those in the preceding figure, the lever arm of the tool being broken off 4: is a rear view of the tool, a portion of the lever arm being broken oif. and Fig. his a fragmentary sectional detail. showing the assembly of the principal parts of the tool.

Similar reference characters in the different figures of the drawings indicate corresponding elements or features of construction herein referred to in detail.

in the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a fence post, 2 indicating fencing wires hav- 14, 1925. Serial No. 75,361.

ing loops 3 connected to the post, each loop being composed of a portion of the fence wire embracing the post and having its end portion secured to the wire by means of a twisted portion 4%, the end portion 5 of the wire being twisted or wrapped about the main portion of the wire.

The improved tool comprises a lever arm 6 having a journal box 7 on one end thereof that projects beyond one side of the arm, and a novel twister head operated by means of the arm. The twister head comprises a disk-like plate adapted to constitute a wheel 8 having peripheral ratchet teeth 9, the ratchet wheel having a hub 10 on one side thereof that is journaled in the journal box, the hub having a projection 11 that extends beyond one end of the box, the ratchet wheel being arranged against the opposite end of the box. The ratchet wheel, including its hub, has a slot 12 arranged between two of the ratchet teeth and extending inward to the axis thereof, being longitudinally of the hub, and the wall of the journal box has a gap 13 therein to which the slot may be brought to admit awire to the axis of the ratchet wheel. The projection 11 is less than half of the diametrical thickness of the hub, preferably being semi-cylindrical. and a collar 14: having guide wings 15 and 16 is arranged on the projection and against the adjacent end of the journal box to retain the hub in the box, the collar being rigidly secured to the projection by means of a bolt 17 and a nut 18 thereon, the bolt being secured transversely in the projection and the nut seated on the outer side of the collar, this permitting removal of the collar. The collar has two curved guide fingers 19 and 20 fixed thereon so as to be on opposite sides respectively of the axis of rotation of the twister head, and the lingers are curved so that they together shall extend in opposite directions across the projection and partially about the axis of lo tation, the fingers being separated or twisted so to admit a wire sidewise between the lingers and to the axis of rotation, in order that the twister head may be readily placed in operative relation on a wirepor be removable therefrom.

The face of the ratchetwheel 8 has a pivot stud 21 fixed thereto on one side of the slot 12, being in advance of the slot during r0 tation of the ratchet wheel, and a lug 22 is loosely connected tothe stnd'soasto swing thereomthe luglniving a head portion 23 in which is a groove 2t to receive a portion of the wire, the groove being in the side o'l the head portion 23 that faces .towards the pivot stud.

The lever arm 6 is provided with a pivot 25 arranged ata suitahle distance :t'ronl the journal box, and a pawl 26 is loosely connected to the stud and extendstowards one edge of the lever arm, being adapted to engage the ratchet teeth 9. The pawlhas a controlling arm 27 that extends at approxiinately right angles relatively to the pawl,

' and another arm 28 that is approximately in line with the pawl on the opposite side all the PlVOlihllCl "m y he carried against a stop pin 29 .lixed to the lever arm, to limit lhemovement oil the pawlwhen swung. away l'romtl e ratchet wheel. Farther away than the pivot. Bail-om the ratchet wheel the le' ver arnrli is' 'novided with a pivot pin 30, a plunger hox 31 is arranged against the arm and has an ear thereon that is connected to the pivot piinand a plunger 33 is movahly guided in the box and normally projected against the arm 2'? by means oi. a coil spring 3st arranged under compression between theplnngerand the bottom of the box. The plunger hox normally rests against a stop pin 35 secured to the ar n 6 and may be swnngover into contact with a separate stop pin 36secured to the arm.

In practical use the pawl 26 isin engagement with the ratchet wheel, and the wheel may be independently rotated in one direction or may be rotated in the same direction by swinging the lever arm to and fro, as will be understood. When the ratchet wheel is stopped so that the slot 12' registers with the gap 13 the tool may be readily applied to a wire or a wire may he carried into the twister head, as occasion may requireythe wire heinghrought under the fingers 19 and 20 by giving the tool a twisting movement relatively to the wire, as will readilyhe apparent, so that the wire may extend along the axis oil rotation of the twister head. One portion of the wire or an end of a. wire is brought about another wire and turned sharply over and brought into the groove ill, the lug; being swung across the slotll. as appearing in Fig. 2, and upon operation ,ol" the lever arm the twister head is rotated and twists or wraps the wire about another wire and finally secures the portions ot the wires together. after which the twister head may he turned so as to bring the slot therein to the gap in the journal box which permits the tool to he disengaged from the wire. Byswinging thehox3l over against the stop pin lid-the. plunger33 comes into engagement with the arm 28 and thereby toroesthe paw] away and holds it oil from the ratchet wheel, permitting a free movement of the wheel.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:-

1. A wire twistingytool including a jonrnal box and a lever arm connected together,

the hex having a gap in its wall, a twister head comprising a ratchet wheel and a hnh connected together and haying a longitndh nal slot therein the huh lacing rotatahly arranged in the journal hex and having a pair of spirally twisted guides on one end thereof to guide a wire in the slot on the axis ol' rotation of the hub, :1 lug pivoted to the ratchet wheel adjacent to one side ol 'tweentwo oi the teeth extending inward to the axis of the head, a guide collar remor-- ahly secured to the projection adjacent and concentric to the journal box and hav .ing two oppositely arranged curved guide fingers rigidthereon and together extending: spi ally acrossthe projection and ahont the axis of the head, and a pawl mounted on the lever arm toengage the teeth.

3 A portahlehand perated wire-twistine' tool comprising a journal him having a gap in its walh a ever arm .fixed tosaidhox, a twister head rotatablyarranged in eonncc tion with saidhox and havinga longitudinal slot therein, said head having peripheral teeth, :1 lug pivoted to the twister head to swingacross one end of said slot and havinga lateral head .portioin two separate guide fingers carried hythe twister head and together extendingpartially ahout the are ofrotatiom said lingers heing curved and also twisted in opposite directions. a pawl pivoted to the lever arm-to engage said teeth and having-two controlling arms, a plunger hox pivoted to the lever arm, two stun-i pins spaced apart and tired to the lever arm on opposite sides respectimly of the plane;- er hex. a coil spring seated in the plun rrr hoX. and a plunger inovahly rnidvd in llll' plunger hex and in contact witlvthe sprilm the phmgerheing movahlc by the plunger hex to either one of the controlling arms to control said pawl.

In .(CSillIlQllfy whereof. I affix my signatnre on the Tth day of Deceniher, 1925.

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